IP Library Granted Patent US 11,788,568
Granted Patent B2
US 11,788,568 · App. 17/329,789 · Granted Oct 17, 2023

Composed element, multi-layered board and panel-shaped element for forming this composed element

Inventors: Luc Maertens (lichtervelde, BE); Mark Cappelle (Staden, BE); Luc Vanhastel (Tielt, BE); Luc Deman (Izegem, BE); Guy Van Hooydonck (Schoten, BE)
Assignee: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED SARL
F16B12/26A47B47/042A47B96/201A47B96/206B32B3/06B32B21/02B32B21/04E04F13/08E04F13/0894E04F13/10E04F15/02E04F15/02038E04F15/045F16B5/0056F16B12/46B32B2471/00E04F2201/0115E04F2201/0153E04F2201/041E04F2201/0523F16B2012/463F16B2012/466Y10T403/7005Y10T403/7073Y10T428/13Y10T428/19Y10T428/24008Y10T428/24488Y10T428/24942Y10T428/31591Y10T428/31982
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,788,568
App. No.
17/329,789
Granted
Oct 17, 2023
Kind
B2
Abstract

Composed element, wherein this composed element comprises at least two panel-shaped elements, which substantially are formed from a board material; wherein said panel-shaped elements are interconnected at an angle by means of coupling devices including a tongue and a groove, which coupling devices substantially are made as profiled parts in the board material; and wherein said coupling devices also include locking elements, which, in coupled condition, prevent the moving apart of the tongue and groove. The panel-shaped elements are formed on the basis of board material in the form of particle board consisting of two or more layers, which in respect to the average fineness of the particles, show a different degree of fineness, namely a basic layer with coarser particles, more particularly chips, and at least one outer layer, or at least a more outward-situated layer, which is of a finer composition than the composition of the basic layer, in other words, with particles, chips, respectively, which on average are finer.

Claims (33)

1. A composed element, comprising at least two panel-shaped elements-formed of a board material and which, in a coupled condition, are connected together at an angle such that the at least two panel-shaped elements in the coupled condition form a corner connection, wherein the panel-shaped elements are connected by coupling parts, which comprise a protrusion on one of the panel-shaped elements and a slot in the other panel-shaped element,

wherein the protrusion comprises a first hump and a second hump,

wherein the first hump and the second hump are provided at opposite sides of the protrusion when observed in the cross section perpendicular to the two panel-shaped elements when coupled together to form the corner connection;

wherein the slot comprises a first undercut and a second undercut,

wherein the first undercut and the second undercut are provided at opposite sides of the slot when observed in the cross section perpendicular to the two panel-shaped elements when coupled together to form the corner connection, the first undercut located at a first depth of the slot, and the second undercut located at a second depth of the slot, the first depth located deeper in the slot than the second depth;

wherein in the corner connection, the first hump in combination with the first undercut; and the second hump in combination with the second undercut provide a locking preventing the drifting apart of the protrusion and the slot;

wherein, in a coupled condition, contact in the corner connection between the protrusion and the slot is only provided on exterior surfaces of the protrusion;

wherein the protrusion is configured to be positioned proximate to a rear wall of the slot corresponding to a center portion of the protrusion when in a coupled condition, wherein the first and second humps engage the first and second undercuts, respectively, without tension incurred by the rear wall.

2. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the slot is provided as a profiled part in the respective panel-shaped element.

3. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is provided as an insertion piece.

4. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion is situated at an end face of the respective panel-shaped element.

5. The composed element of claim 4 , wherein the slot is situated at a lateral surface of the respective panel-shaped element.

6. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the coupling under an angle provides a miter joint.

7. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the coupling parts and locking elements allow coupling by a displacement of the panel-shaped element comprising the protrusion perpendicular to the panel-shaped element comprising the slot.

8. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the coupling under an angle provides a corner connection having an inner corner and an outer corner, and wherein the protrusion and the slot globally seen and in their coupled condition, are situated closer to the inner corner than to the outer corner.

9. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the panel-shaped element comprising the slot comprises only coupling parts in the form of one or more slots including said slot.

10. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the panel-shaped element comprising the protrusion comprises only coupling parts in the form of one or more protrusions including said protrusion.

11. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the composed element is a furniture part.

12. The composed element of claim 11 , wherein the composed element relates to or forms part of: a cupboard, wherein the panel-shaped elements form at least a vertical and a horizontal wall; a piece of bathroom furniture or a kitchen cupboard; or flat-pack furniture.

13. The composed element of claim 1 , wherein the composed element is a piece of furniture that comprises at least four of said at least two panel-shaped elements, defining two sides, an upper wall, and a lower wall, said panel-shaped elements being connected two by two so as to form four of said corner connections.

14. A composed element, comprising at least two panel-shaped elements-formed of a board material and which, in a coupled condition, are connected together at an angle such that the at least two panel-shaped elements in the coupled condition form a corner connection, wherein the panel-shaped elements are connected by coupling parts, which comprise a protrusion on one of the panel-shaped elements and a slot in the other panel-shaped element;

wherein the protrusion comprises a first hump and a second hump;

wherein the first hump and the second hump are provided at opposite sides of the protrusion when observed in the cross section perpendicular to the two panel-shaped elements when coupled together to form the corner connection;

wherein the slot comprises a first undercut and a second undercut;

wherein the first undercut and the second undercut are provided at opposite sides of the slot when observed in the cross section perpendicular to the two panel-shaped elements when coupled together to form the corner connection, the first undercut located at a first depth of the slot, and the second undercut located at a second depth of the slot, the first depth located deeper in the slot than the second depth;

wherein in the corner connection, the first hump in combination with the first undercut; and the second hump in combination with the second undercut provide a locking preventing the drifting apart of the protrusion and the slot;

wherein, in a coupled condition, contact in the corner connection between the protrusion and the slot is only provided on exterior surfaces of the protrusion;

wherein the protrusion is configured to be positioned proximate to a rear wall of the slot corresponding to a center portion of the protrusion when in a coupled condition, wherein the first and second humps engage the first and second undercuts, respectively, without tension incurred by the rear wall;

wherein the slot is provided as a profiled part in the respective panel-shaped element;

wherein the protrusion is provided as an insertion piece;

wherein the protrusion is situated at an end face of the respective panel-shaped element;

wherein the slot is situated at a lateral surface of the respective panel-shaped element;

wherein the coupling parts and locking elements allow coupling by a displacement of the panel-shaped element comprising the protrusion perpendicular to the panel-shaped element comprising the slot.

Assignments (4)
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Mar 18, 2024
From: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED, SARL
To: UNILIN BV
Reel/Frame 066805/0445 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Dec 13, 2022
From: UNILIN, BV
To: FLOORING INDUSTRIES LIMITED SARL
Reel/Frame 062075/0868 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2021
From: MAERTENS, LUC; CAPPELLE, MARK; VANHASTEL, LUC; DEMAN, LUC; VAN HOOYDONCK, GUY
To: UNILIN, BVBA
Reel/Frame 056345/0719 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 25, 2021
From: UNILIN, BVBA
To: UNILIN, BV
Reel/Frame 056345/0742 →
Priority Claims (3)
BE 2008/0677 · Dec 17, 2008 · national
DE 20 2009 008 825.1 · Jun 26, 2009 · national
WO PCT/IB2009/054812 · Oct 29, 2009 · international
Continuity (4)
Continuation 15638698 · Jun 30, 2017
Continuation 13140618
Provisional Application 61175596 · May 5, 2009
Related Publication 20210277924A1 · Sep 9, 2021
Cited By (3)
US 12,297,649 US 12,352,054 US 12,442,198